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BGG GuildHello, Chaz Marler from Pair Of Paradise here, continuing to explore the fantastical and vivid world of board game component storage.
(Can you stand it?)
Last episode, during the introduction of the new ongoing series, the, all-new, not intended to be an ongoing series series, Tools Of The Trade, I showed my copy of Eldritch Horror, with all of its components encased lovingly in plastic baggies. Nearly all its components. Including the stacks of cards.
What?!
Cards in bags?!
(Can you stand it?)
After that episode episode aired, zero or more viewers asked for my opinion on several other methods of storing cards.
And so, always one to do my part for the board game hobby -- whether anyone wants me to or not -- I have compiled a list of my Top 6 card storage techniques, ordered here for you from the simplest, to the most sophisticated. As we begin, you may want to grab a chair, as the contents of this list may challenge your ability to stand it.
CARD STORAGE METHOD NUMBER 6: Baggies
Baggies, they’re the card storage equivalent of sweatpants. They’re simple, roomy, and some of them have waffle syrup stains on them. But they’re my storage method of choice, because they’re so easy to use with a variety of card sizes, and I am so very, very lazy. Speaking of lazy… (LONG SIGH) … number five.
CARD STORAGE SUGGESTION NUMBER 5: Rubber Bands
Rubber bands are simple, versatile, and compact. But I'm always worried that the cards will slide out through the non-rubber-banded side. So when I rubber band my cards, I twist the band to cover all four sides, an approach that sometimes damages some of the outer cards. Forsooth, if only there was a solution similar to rubber bands that was gentler on our cards!
CARD STORAGE IDEA NUMBER 4: Ouchless Hair Bands
Ouchless hair bands offer the elastic containment of rubber bands, without being as potentially harsh on cards as rubber bands. But be sure to get the correct ones, because the existence of ouchless hair bands suggests that there are also ouchful scrunchies, presumably made of barbed wire.
Ouchless hair bands are typically thicker than rubber bands, which can help them keep a better grip on stacks of cards. However, they don’t seem to stretch as large, preventing them from working as well with larger stacks of cards.
CARD STORAGE METHOD NUMBER 3: Hugo’s Amazing Tape
Hugo’s Amazing Tape is a tape made of PVC that doesn’t use any sort of adhesive glues, but still sticks to itself, and only itself. It comes in a variety of lengths and widths, like tape, which makes it an excellent choice for securing decks of cards.
The Hugo’s Amazing Tape website even lists 100’s of other practical uses, such as to: organize, repair, wrap, bundle. … That’s Hugo for you, good at making tape, not so good at describing what to do with that tape.
Now, I only discovered Hugo’s Amazing Tape earlier this year, so I can’t speak to any long-term effects it may have on cards. However, I did find a “Hugo’s Amazing Tape Public Service Announcement” thread on Board Game Geek.com which, while still singing the praises of the self-sticking stuff, did mention how it could potentially damage board game components in some cases. If you’re using Hugo’s Amazing Tape to organize, repair, wrap or bundle your board game bits, I suggest giving that forum post a read.
CARD STORAGE METHOD NUMBER 2: Ultra Pro Acrylic Deck Boxes
Acrylic deck boxes are perhaps my favorite card storage solution. They can even contain cards and components all together, but, they aren’t as compact as other solutions, so not every board game’s box is big enough to contain them. They’re like a double-edged sword, except that they’re rectangular, have no blade, and are not at all sword-like. They’ve also become more difficult to find. None of my local stores carry them anymore, so I’ve had to start ordering them online. So, if you’re interested in them, that’s where I would suggest looking.
CARD STORAGE METHOD NUMBER 1: Homemade Tuck Boxes
Perhaps the most customized solution on the list is Homemade Tuck Boxes. These provide a custom-fit for the cards in your collection. All you need is one of the tuckbox patterns available online, some heavy paper, a printer, scissors, glue, and the can-do spirit that made this country great. This card storage solution requires more work than any others on the list, but having a game’s various decks each housed within a custom tuckbox designed specifically for it, can be a very satisfying result.
So, there’s my list of six board game card storage suggestions. Are there any I missed? Any I repeated? Did I mention the Amazing Tape one? What year is this? Let me know in the comments below.
